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A Daily Devotion for Wednesday, January 26


James 1:19-20


My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.

James makes it sound as if anger gets in the way of a righteous life. In order to be angry, we must be focused on the negative, or on the wrong. For me, anger is often a signal of something lacking in myself. Regardless of the source of the anger, it serves no purpose for my walk with God. It is like a false target for my attention. My attention must be focused on God.

Holy one, sometimes it feels automatic to be angry, but I know it is not necessary. Help me to let go of angry preoccupations. They only get between us. Amen


Becky, transforming

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Rosalind Spiller
Rosalind Spiller
Jan 26, 2022

James 1:19–20 What stands out to me in this verse is “quick to listen.” If we are listening, we are not interrupting with anger to someone. If we are listening, we are giving someone else’s ideas a chance to be heard, even if we disagree. If I am listening it becomes less about me and more about us. Prayer: gracious God help me work harder on my listening skills. Everyone doesn’t need to hear my opinion first. Amen

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Beverly Flynn
Beverly Flynn
Jan 26, 2022

James 1:19-20 We should be able to keep our words behind our lips until we have a moment to think about what we say and how we say it. James is telling us to listen more than we talk. If God wanted us to speak and be slow to listen he would have created us with two mouths and one ear. Anger is a completely normal, usually healthy, human emotion. But when it gets out of control and turns destructive, it can lead to problems—problems that will certainly effect the overall quality of your life. And it can make you feel as though you have no control over this powerful emotion. I grew up in an angry household and it do…

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David
David
Jan 26, 2022

James 1:19-20 . . . Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry,


The first 2 actions are usually easy for me, but when I am sure I am right or passionate about something, then I raise my voice. At first I am being emphatic but it will change to anger fast. When I follow the last thing and am slow to anger, then I am respecting the other person and their opinions.


Dear Lord these verses are certainly words to live by and would make life so much more pleasant. Please help me to keep them in mind and practice them. Amen.

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Barbara
Barbara
Jan 26, 2022

James 1: 19-20 My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, because human anger does not produce the righteousness that God desires.


Our mouths get us into a lot of trouble. Sometimes we speak before we think and cannot take back the words we have spoken. It is wise to learn to listen more than we talk. Proverbs 10: 19 says, “When there are many words, transgression is unavoidable, But he who restrains his lips is wise.” This is a lesson I have learned, although I do fail at times to follow it. How many of our life relationships have been damaged due to o…


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Tom
Tom
Jan 26, 2022

James 1:19-20

As one who has struggled with a tendency to be “that guy” that James is telling his reader to avoid being, I can testify that anger has extremely rarely led to a sense that I am living a righteous life. I can point to Jesus’ action in the temple all I want as justification for “righteous anger” but the everyday frustrations of life are not on par with purification of the house of God. It is a struggle every day, but one with which the Holy Spirit will help me if I only get out of my own way.


Prayer - Spirit of God, help me to be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become…


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